Dubai’s RTA taxis now available on Careem app. Uber’s next

If you’ve ever waited in long queues or stood in the rain waiting for a taxi, hope is at hand. As of today, customers will be able to book Dubai Taxis through the Careem mobile app. In a public-private partnership, the on-demand service has been expanded so users can now book Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) vehicles on the app.

Thanks to an easy integration of technology, customers will see a new Taxi option on the app. On selecting this option, they’ll be matched to the closest Dubai Taxi in the area, and will receive a notification alert once the booking has been confirmed. As with the Careem and Uber limousine services, users will see the taxi number immediately.

At the RTA end, the authority will will receive the customer’s mobile number, which may then be shared with the driver to ensure both parties successfully find each other.

No email receipts

If you want a receipt, though, you’ll still have to ask taxi drivers for a paper receipt. Unlike existing Careem choices, the service does not offer customers email or SMS receipts. All fares need to be settled in cash, or paid by credit card when the driver has a credit card machine available.

“Today marks history for us,” Faraz Syed, Managing Director of Careem, UAE said in a statement. “We committed to make getting around town easier for everyone and now with the addition of Dubai Taxis to our service, we are able to do so. Not only are we making life better for customers, we are also providing more business for the drivers who come to Dubai with ambitions to better support their families back home. It’s great to be able to make a difference and we hope people will enjoy the freedom of booking a Dubai taxi from wherever they are, whenever they need to.”

Uber next?

Last month the RTA announced it had signed an agreement deal with Uber. The deal allows Uber to offer taxi services, although the taxi-hailing service has yet to announce plans to do so. It will first undertake a six-month study that will explore the viability of low-cost transport solutions, which, when implemented, will look and feel different from RTA taxis.

“The agreement with Uber offers a new service for residents and visitors who wish to move around Dubai by taxis and limousines,” Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of RTA, said in a Gulf News report. “RTA, in cooperation with Uber, is considering the deployment of new mobility options to cater to the needs of customers in Dubai and reduce vehicles on the roads.”